Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino faces a decision over who will take penalties for his team when they face Arsenal in the Premier League, with Cole Palmer a doubt due to illness. Palmer has been in impressive form this season, scoring 20 goals in the league, and has taken all nine of his spot-kicks in all competitions. However, he missed Monday’s training session through illness. Pochettino said he has plenty of options to choose from if Palmer is unavailable, including Noni Madueke, Gallagher, Fernandez, and Jackson. “I still have not decided who it is going to be. It will depend. Of course, there is Mudryk,” Pochettino told reporters. “We have plenty of good takers in the squad. When I decide the starting XI tomorrow I will decide who takes.” Pochettino also addressed the possibility of bringing back Romelu Lukaku from his loan spell at Inter Milan, given Chelsea’s limited transfer funds. However, he indicated that it is unlikely, as Lukaku expressed a desire to leave the club in the summer. “There is no point talking because he wanted to leave in the summer. He is a player who didn’t want to stay,” Pochettino said. “When I arrived, the club told me Romelu Lukaku wanted to leave the club. That’s it. Now we are talking about a player who is not here.” Chelsea will be looking to bounce back from their FA Cup defeat to Manchester City when they face Arsenal, who are top of the Premier League. The match will be a crucial test for both teams, with Chelsea needing to prove they can compete with the league’s best and Arsenal looking to extend their lead at the top of the table.
Chelsea Penalty Taker Dilemma: Pochettino Considers Options Amid Palmer Doubt
